Echoes of the Past

"What NOW, Hiroko?" Aisuno Kori Miyuki asked her guardian cat, whose honey-colored eyes were sparkling in excitement.

"Yuki-sama has found a boy she thinks you'll like. Chouko should be here any minute to help you get ready. I think this one's really something!"

Miyuki sighed. Her cousin Yukiko and friend Chouko had been trying to set her up for a while now, and she had rejected every one of their candidates. She couldn't understand why this one would be any different, but it couldn't hurt to freshen up a bit. Resigned, Miyuki got out of bed.

"Pleeeeeeease tell me who he is, Yuki-chan?" whined Kouno Chouko as she danced around the ice-blue-haired girl. "PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?"

"Nope." Yukiko shook her head. "Surprises are fun. You'll meet him when you see him."

"You have a heart of ice, Kirin Yukiko," Chouko pouted.

Yukiko laughed. "Of course I do, what kind of a senshi of ice would I be if I didn't? Now be a good Chibi and run upstairs to get Miyu ready." She gently shoved the still-pouting Chouko towards the stairs.

Chikako was enjoying a rare quiet moment on the front lawn of the Room Behind the Waterfall. She laid back, sighing contently, as she looked at the shapes in the clouds.

"Excuse me."

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Chikako jumped. It was a guy's voice, and a guy's voice that she'd never heard before to boot.

She turned to see him. She noticed he had dark brown hair and soft black eyes, as hearts filled her own eyes.

What a hottie! Chikako thought.

"Could you please show me where..."

"TENCHI!"

Yukiko's voice was relieved as she ran to greet the young man. "Oh, hi Chikako. I see you've met Tenchi." Yukiko leaned to whisper in Chikako's ear, "He's too old for you." Chikako blushed. "Besides..." And Yukiko whispered something else. Chikako nodded. "I'm sure it'll work out, Yuki-chan."

"Come in, Tenchi," Yukiko offered.

As the two girls were showing Tenchi around, a purple head popped out from behind a door. "Tenchi? Is that you?"

"Ben?" Tenchi asked, and Benjamin Vegeta Skywalker nodded.

"You know Ben?" Yukiko asked in shock.

"He's my best friend." Tenchi grinned.

"But Ben's from..." Yukiko's jaw dropped. "...the... future..?"

"What are you doing here, Tenchi?"

"Well, Yukiko wanted me to meet someone."

"Yeah, I heard her talking about it all morning." Benjamin's eyes settled onto Yukiko, who blushed. Tenchi saw it, and his eyes went from Yukiko to Benjamin. He grinned.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Benjamin asked.

"Miyuki. Is that right, Yuki?" Tenchi asked.

Yukiko nodded. "Yep."

Ben's eyes widened, and he smiled secretively. "Well... I'm sure it'll work out fine, Tench."

"No." Miyuki's reply was firm and unshakeable. "I will NOT take my scrunchie out!"

Chouko and Hiroko had been appointed to get Miyuki ready to meet "The Guy." The trouble was that, even though Miyuki had dressed beautifully in a simple black dress, she refused to take her hair out of her ponytail.

"Oh, well," Chouko sighed. "Looks pretty enough. Here." She handed Miyuki a black bow to clip onto her scrunchie and held up a hand mirror.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

There was a crash as Chouko dropped the mirror. She knew that voice! She turned around. In the doorway was a person Chouko had never thought she would see again. "T-T-Ten-TENCHI!"

Miyuki turned.

Tenchi smiled and stepped forward. "Hi. I'm Kouno Tenchi. I assume you're Miyuki?"

Black met light blue. Tenchi and Miyuki's eyes locked.

"Yeah, I'm Miyuki," the girl replied, struggling not to lose her cool in the presence of such a hottie. She extended her hand, and Tenchi took it.

There was a flash of blue light surrounding their hands, and Miyuki drew back in shock. "Tenchi?" Memories of her past life started to flood through Miyuki. "I knew I'd see you again... I just didn't know when," she said softly. "When... how..?"

For a moment, Tenchi too was confused by memories, then he smiled. "Thank Yuki," he whispered.

A giggle escaped Yukiko as Miyuki blushed. "So, Miyu-chan, you finally show an interest in one of my candidates!"

"SHOW AN INTEREST?" Miyuki cried, breaking away from Tenchi's gaze to turn on Yukiko. "Yuki-chan, I KNOW you're Force-sensitive, but how on Hoth did you manage to set me up with my PAST LIFE FIANCE?!?"

There was silence in the room as Yukiko's eyes widened. "Past-life..." she began but was sharply cut off.

"And my brother!" Chouko screeched, still in shock. "My DEAD brother!"

Tenchi lifted an eyebrow. "I think I'm pretty solid, Chou-chan. I'm not a ghost... or, at least, I wasn't the last time I checked..."

Chouko smiled weakly.

"To make an alliance between Dantooine and Aquaris we were bethrothed," Miyuki whispered. "When the rebellion started, I supported it. Everyone thought I was crazy, but you stood by me til the end... thank you, Tenchi."

"Yuki was right. I AM from the future. I wasn't supposed to die on Earth, so when I did, I came back from the past and merged with my soul, which wasn't dead. I then came to Aquaris and stayed there until we received news that Princess Kari, your mother, was dead." Miyuki's body jerked. "I then ruled Aquaris as Prime Minister. I was planning to visit anyway, once I found out you were here, but then I met Yuki, and my visit had dual purpose." He smiled.

"I don't understand," Miyuki frowned.

Tenchi pulled a blue scepter out of the bag he was holding. "Given to its ruler, the Royal Aquaris Scepter has been mine for three years. Now I am ready to give it to you, the rightful ruler. Do you accept?"

Miyuki considered. On one hand, her planet. On the other, her destiny. "Thank you... but I'm afraid I have to decline. I have a destiny here, as Sailor Aquaris. I feel it safe to leave my planet in your hands, Tenchi."

Tenchi smiled. "Of course. Now, let me give you something. It may be useful." And he took out a silver, humming cylinder.

Miyuki gasped. "Dad's lightsaber..." She took the cylinder. "How did..."

Tenchi smiled. "Does it matter? You have it now." He bent down and gently lifed Miyuki's chin. "We'll meet again..." he whispered. "I promise." His gently pressed his lips to Miyuki's.

It was a brief kiss and over too soon. Miyuki opened her eyes, and Tenchi was already leaving. She touched two fingers to her lips. Hardly aware of anyone else in her room, Miyuki recalled Tenchi's parting words.

We'll meet again... I promise.